Ke20 Chassis Bracing

[YKE 20T]

hi guys i have been doing a bit of thinking and searching on the internet in regards to some chassis bracing for my ke20 while i've got the motor (ca18) out. i don't want a roll cage as i intend to get the car registered but i want to hit wakefield and the local hill climb regulalrly. i was thinking of making up some bracing for the strut towers. i was planning to run some bracing (25mm tube) fordward from the tower to the chassis rail and also from the towers to the firewall (about 15 to 25 degrees inwards on this one). what bracing do people have in there veichles? i own a mig and am pretty handy with it so i'm looking for good ideas. what sort of rear bracing do people have? anything between the strut towers? i'm looking for any bracing ideas that don't involve putting a full cage in. thanks in advance.

Edited June 24, 2008 by YKE 20T

[Jono]

i bought a t3 strut brace but its shit, it doesn't look like the one on their website and its too long (needs modifying to make it fit)

 

i emailed the gabriel dude but he didn't answer.

 

go custom.

[oh what a nissan feeling!]

I recon seam welding is the go, along the sills inside the car.

 

Also, welding along where the front rails are spot welded to the firewall makes a big difference.

 

I like your brace ideas, another one i have seen is in the boot between the shock bolts, up to the parcel shelf, and back to the floor where the mono construction rails are underneath.

[YKE 20T]

I recon seam welding is the go, along the sills inside the car.

 

Also, welding along where the front rails are spot welded to the firewall makes a big difference.

 

I like your brace ideas, another one i have seen is in the boot between the shock bolts, up to the parcel shelf, and back to the floor where the mono construction rails are underneath.

 

yeah i was considering doing something similar in the boot of the 20. i've got a strut brace that i got off here through a group buy but i don't think it will clear the inlet manifold of the ca18. thats what spurred me in to action. i think i will investigate you're rear brace idea as well as adding to the spots on the chassis rails. thanks for the input and watch this space lol

[13BT_KE20]

i bought a t3 strut brace but its shit, it doesn't look like the one on their website and its too long (needs modifying to make it fit)

 

i emailed the gabriel dude but he didn't answer.

 

go custom.

is that the one bought in the group buy???

 

I havent tried to fit mine yet, will be extemely unhappy if it doesnt fit (and thats putting it very nicely so i don't get in trouble with the moderators)

[dfunkt]

i got my T3 strut brace in last week.

 

i had to put the 2 strut mounts as far from each other as posslble. i put the whole unit together, wound it as short as possible, as then once it was in wound about 5 turns into the bar and she's apples.

[YKE 20T]

is that the one bought in the group buy???

 

I havent tried to fit mine yet, will be extemely unhappy if it doesnt fit (and thats putting it very nicely so i don't get in trouble with the moderators)

 

 

yours should fit as the 13b would sit a bit lower in the engine bay than the ca18 in my car. the main problemm with mine is the slant of the ca. the top of the inlet manifold is higher than the head. don't think ous was the t3 as we got ours from the states.

[Pieman]

It might require some specialist work and a bit of cash, but some subframe connectors would really tighten up a ke20's unibody chassis.

[LINDSAY]

Yeah the ones we got in the group buy were from t3 in the states

 

Mine also is not much good as it doesn't clear the plenum , oh well

Edited June 24, 2008 by LINDSAY

[13BT_KE20]

mine will clear the inlet manifold by a good 3cm :(

 

I'm more concerned about the comment made of the brace being too long.

 

A better option would be to get a triangle shaped strut brace custom made that connects between the strut towers and to the firewall.

 

You could also look at getting the very front of the car braced better, its alarming how soft all that metal is. Ill be getting an extra bar welded in across the from (behind the grill/in front of the radiator).

 

Seam weld the whole car

Custom rear brace between the shock towers

front/rear swaybars

 

Ill be looking at doing all of the above (except front swaybar due to limited space) in the future

[dfunkt]

how will the rear brace mount....it's a leaf sprung rear end? or have i missed you putting in rear shocks/springs??

[13BT_KE20]

how will the rear brace mount....it's a leaf sprung rear end? or have i missed you putting in rear shocks/springs??

weld it in, inside the boot.

[Redwarf]

If you're going to go hill climbing, you would want to find out what is legal for the event.

 

Ke20's are pretty strong. (Trust me.) I ran for MANY years with just a (Very good, not off the shelf) strut brace. I know with rally cars, you could not do the bracing from the tower fwd, nor could you go to the fire wall.

 

THE best way of strengthening the car is a cage (I know... you don't want one).

 

With the strut brace, if your getting serious, the mounts on a t3 ( or other ) will not be strong enough. I use mounts made from either 6mm steel, or about 10mm alloy. You will find if you're using stiff springs, the tower top will bow as well. You can either plate the top or underneath of the tower top to stop that.

 

I can't see any point whatso ever in putting a rear strut brace in, but don't let me stop you. I just cannot see how it is going to work. At all.

 

Seam weld it (suggest don't go fwd of towers, easier to fix in a prang) and get a real strut brace, you shouldn't have much problem.

 

R

Edited June 25, 2008 by Redwarf

[YKE 20T]

some good points. i'll have to investigate what is allowed for the hillclimb but seam welding from the towers back looks on the cards.

[Rob74coupe]

anyone here whose strut brace wont clear their manifolds wanna sell theirs to me? name your price people...

 

isnt the idea of the strut brace to stop the top of the shockies from flexing in and out? theres not a lot of stress on the shockies on a leaf set up is there? i thought most of the weight went on the leafs, but with the front the weight is on the springs and struts together? you could mount a rear bar, but i don't think it'd really do much (i heard they were mainly for fwd anyway, or was that the otherway around?)